Thai Noodle Salad with Glazed Salmon
Salmon is brushed with a simple glaze made from red chili paste and paired with a simple noodle salad.
Ingredients
Thai Noodle Salad:
- 8 ounces stir-fry rice noodles
- 1½ tablespoons roasted red chili paste
- 1 tablespoon fish sauce plus more for serving
- ½ teaspoon granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon grapeseed or other neutral oil
- 1 large shallot thinly sliced
- 4 large garlic cloves minced
- 1 cup chopped baby bok choy leaves roughly 2 heads
- 2 tablespoons (30 mL) freshly squeezed lime juice plus wedges for serving
- 3 scallions, green parts only thinly sliced
- large handful fresh cilantro leaves roughly chopped
- large handful fresh basil leaves, preferably Thai torn
- small handful fresh mint leaves torn
- ⅓ cup chopped dry roasted, unsalted peanuts
Glazed Salmon:
- 1 tablespoon roasted red chili paste
- 1 teaspoon grapeseed or other neutral oil plus more for cooking
- 4 (4-5 ounce) wild Alaskan sockeye salmon fillets, skin-on
- kosher salt
- freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
- Prepare the noodles: Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add the noodles, stir, and cook until just al dente. Drain well, rinse under cold water until cool, and set aside.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the chili paste, fish sauce, sugar, and two tablespoons cold water. Set aside. In a large non-stick skillet or wok, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Sauté the shallots for 1 to 2 minutes, stirring frequently. Add the garlic and sauté for another 30 seconds or so, or until fragrant. Add the bok choy leaves to the pan, and stir until just beginning to wilt. Add the cooled noodles, and the chili paste mixture. Avoid stirring; allow the noodles to caramelize slightly in the pan before stirring gently. Add one tablespoon of lime juice. Transfer the noodles to a large serving platter or bowl, gently stir in the remaining lime juice, scallions, cilantro leaves, basil, mint, and peanuts. Season to taste, adding more fish sauce and lime juice as desired. Set aside to cool slightly while you prepare the salmon.
- Prepare the salmon: In a small bowl, whisk together the red chili paste, oil, and 1 teaspoon cold water until mostly smooth. Brush the tops of the salmon fillets liberally with the paste mixture. Season lightly with salt and pepper.
- Heat roughly one tablespoon neutral cooking oil over medium-high heat in a large (12-inch) non-stick skillet. Add the salmon fillets, skin-side down, and cook for 3 to 4 minutes (time will vary depending on the thickness of your salmon fillets – my filets were about 1-inch thick). Flip the fillets and continue cooking until the flesh is slightly opaque in the center and the the salmon is caramelized, about 1 to 2 minutes. Distribute the Thai noodle salad, top with a piece of glazed salmon, and serve. Garnish with lime wedges for squeezing.
Tips for Success:
- An instant thermometer inserted in center of fillets should read between 120ºF – 130ºF. Sockeye salmon dries out more easily than other varieties of wild salmon, and is best served medium-rare.
Serving: 1serving, Calories: 473kcal, Carbohydrates: 37g, Protein: 22g, Fat: 27g, Saturated Fat: 4g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 21g, Cholesterol: 47mg, Sodium: 845mg, Fiber: 4g, Sugar: 3g